Brake mechanism



Oct. 20,1936. J. w. TATTER 2,057,749

BRAKE MECHANISM Original Filed Feb. 27, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 06k. 20, 1936. J, w TATTER 2,057,749

BRAKE MECHANISM Original Filed Feb. 2'7, 1 .928 5 Shets-Sheet 2 Get. 20, 1936. J w, TATTER 2,057,749

BRAKE MECHANISM Original Filed Feb. 2'7, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented @ct. 2Q, 4936 stares PAT BRAKE MECHANISM John W. Tatter, Detroit, Mich, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Bendix Products Corporation, South Bend, Ind, a corporation of Indiana tember 16, 1935 9 Claims.

The invention relates to brake mechanism and has among its other objects the' provision of brake mechanism which is compact, durable, efficient agild satisfactory for use wherever found applica e.

The present application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 257,396, filed February 27, 1928 for Brake mechanism.

A particular object of the present invention is to provide improved brake mechanism which is self-adjusting to take up slack or wear in the mechanism.

Another particular object of the invention is to provide improved means for preventing undesirable displacement in a brake of the brake band relative to the brake drum.

Still another particular object of the invention is to provide improved means for adjusting a brake band to compensate for wear of the braking surfaces.

Many other objects and advantages 'of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the chassis of an automobile prdvided with brake mechanism embodying the present invention;

- Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 5-6 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line l-l of Fig. 4.

Referring for the present to Fig. 1, the reference character 24 designates generally a portion of the chassis of an automobile provided, as shown in Fig. 1, with rear wheels 23. In this instance, the chassis 213 comprises longitudinal side members 25 and transverse members 271 and 28. Associated with each of the wheels 23 is a brake, the brakes being identified by the reference characters 3i.

The construction of the brakes 3! is best illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. As best shown in Fig. 3 each brake 3! preferably comprises a brake drum 35 which is preferably secured by bolts 36, or the equivalent, to the associated rear wheel 23. The inner end of the brake drum 35 is preferably closed by a plate or disc 38 which, if desired, may be made integral with the usual rear axle housing 39. The wheel 23 is constrained to rotate with one of a pair of live rear axles 40 disposed within the rear axle housing 39. Disposed within the drum 35 is a brake band or shoe 42 of the internal expanding type which is preferably made from cast iron and is preferably thicker at a point substantially midway between its ends than it is at its ends. Thus, as best shown in Fig. 2, it will be noted that the band 42 is thickest at a point substantially midway between its ends and that it tapers gradually toward its-ends. The advantages of this construction are explained in my copending application, Serial No. 145,970, filed November 3, 1926. The outer surface of the brake band 42 is preferably provided with a friction lining 44 which is engageable with the interior surface of the brake drum 35 to prevent rotation of the associated wheel 23.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, I preferably provide a plurality of pins 45 which are rigidly secured to the brake band 42 and project inwardly therefrom. Any suitable number of pins 45 may be provided but, in this instance, I provide three pins 45 which are equidistantly spaced from each other around the interior surface of the brake band. Slidably mounted upon each pin 45 is a collar 46 which is preferably provided with a frusto conical surface 41 adapted to ride upon a surface 48 provided in a bracket member 49 which is rigidly secured to the plate or disc 38, there being a bracket member 49 for each of the pins45. As shown, each bracket 49 is slotted as at 50 to accommodate the associated pin 45. The frusto-conical surface 41 of each collar 46 is preferably urged against the associated surface 48 by a compression spring 52 interposed between the collar and a washer 54 which is held upon the pin 45 by a cotter pin 56. When the brake band 42 is contracted, the pins 45, the collars 46 and the springs 52 cooperate to hold the band in a position wherein no part of the brake lining 44 effectively engages the brake drum 35. However, it will be readily understood that the springs 52 are adapted to yield so that the brake band 42 may expand and bring its lining into effective engagement with the brake drum. Also, it is readily understood that'the slots 50 permit circumferential displacement of the brake band 42 within the brake drum 35. In other words, the brake band is free to move into a position wherein it can hold its entire lining in effective engagement with the brake drum.

Preferably formed integral with the brake band adjacent the ends thereof are bracket members 58 and 59 (see Fig. 4) which are provided with rounded heads 68 and 6 I, respectively. The head 60 rests in a slot 62 formed in a plunger or slide 63 and the head 6| rests in a slot 68 formed in an end wall 66 of a cylinder 81, the cylinder 61 being provided with a borev or chamber 68 in which the plunger 83 is slidably journaled. As best shown in Fig. l, the plunger 63 has a rack 18 formed integral therewith, the gear teeth of the rack 18 being meshed with the gear teeth of a pinion 12 which is preferably formed integral with a relatively short shaft section 13. Theshaft section 13 is rotatably journaled in a boss 14 which is preferably formed integral with the cylinder 61 and projects through a relatively large aperture 15 provided in the plate 38. One end of the shaft section 13 is preferably provided with an integral lug 11 which rides in a slot 18 formed in a coupling member 19 and the cou-' pling member 18 is provided with a lug 88 which rides in a slot 8| provided upon one end of a shaft section 82.

It will be noted that the slots 18 and 8| extend at right angles to each other and that the shaft section 82 can drive the shaft section'13 when, in operating the brake mechanism, the shaft 13 has been or is being displaced laterally with respect to the shaft section 82. The shaft section 82 is preferably journaled in a bracket 84 which is secured by screws 85, or the equivalent, to the plate or .disc 38 and is preferably constructed so that it closes the aperture 15; Pinned to the shaft 82 is a segment 86 having a peripheral groove 81 which accommodates a cable 88. The cable 88 has one of its ends secured to the segment 86 and has the other of its ends secured to suitable operating means (not shown) for rocking the shaft section 82 in a manner to actuate the brakes associated with the wheels 23, it being understood, of course, that there are two cables 88, one being provided for each of the brakes 3|. It will bereadily understood that if the operating means are displaced, the movement will be transmitted to the shaft sections 82 of the brakes 3I through the cables 88. Rotation of the shaft are moved some distance out of the chambers 88 r so that the brake linings at the forward ends of the brake bands 42 engage the interior surface of the brake drums. This prevents further displacement of the associated plungers 63 in this direction, and the cylinders 61 by reason of 'the lug andv slot connections 11-'-18 and 88-8I, will be permitted to move in the opposite direction to bring the linings on the other ends of the associated brake bands into engagement with the interior surfaces of the drums. In other words, during the first portion of the rotation of the shaft section 82, the plunger 63 is moved outwardly to the left (Fig. 4) until the forward end of the shoe engages the drum. By this time, either slot 8I and lug 88 or slot 18 and lug 11 have reached a substantially horizontal position, and any further rotation of the shaft section 82 will drive the pinion 12 along the rack 18 thereby displacing the cylinder 61 to the right (Fig. 4),

the latter movement being permitted because of the brake bands to expand so that their entire brake linings come into effective engagement with the interior surfaces of the drums. When I the brake bands 42 are being expanded, the cylinders 61 pivot around the shaft sections 13 so that the brake bands may shift into positions which permit them to hold their linings against the drums. It may be mentioned at this point of the discription that each brake band 42 is sufliciently resilient so that it normally assumes the position wherein it is shown in full lines in Fig. 2 so that unless it has been expanded in the manner above described, its brake lining does not effectively engage the interior surface of the drum.

Automatically adjustable means is preferably provided in each of the brakes iii to limit angular displacement of the brake band around the axis of rotation of its brake drum. As best shown band slidably engages an arcuate surface I81 I formed in one end of a lug or block I88 in which an arcuate slide H8 is mounted. The lug or block I88 is preferably" formed integral with the plate or disc 38.

The bead I86 at the other end of the brake band slidably engages an arcuate surface II2 formed in one end of the slide II8. A compression spring II l disposed in a bore II5 which is formed in the slide I I8 urges the slide II8 to the left (Fig. 4). However, the spring H4 is not strong enough to expand the brake band 42. Referring to Fig. 7 it will be noted that the slide H8 is provided with detents or teeth 1 which are engageable by similar detents or teeth II8 formedupon a slide I28 which is also mounted in the lug or block I88. The slide I28 may travel from the position wherein it abuts a shoulder I22 formed in the block I88 to a position wherein it abuts another shoulder I23 formed in the block. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, when a brake-lining 44 has not been worn to any appreciable extent and the brake band has not been expanded so that the lining effectively engages the interior surface of the drum, the slide I28 occupies the position wherein it is shown in Fig. 7 and engages the shoulder-I22. Compression springs I25 seated in recesses I28 formed in the slide I28 yieldingly urge the slide I28 toward the slide I I8 to hold the teeth I I8 in engagement with the teeth II1. Steel balls I28 are preferably inserted between the outer ends of the springs I25 and the surface in the block I88 against which the springs act. The balls I29 function as anti-friction devices and permit the slide I28 to move freely between the shoulders I22 and I23 when it is urged in either direction by the slide, H8. The construction is preferably such that slide I28 accompanies it, the springs I25 being tensioned so that they hold the teeth H8 in engagement with the teeth I I1. Under normal conditions, the brake band will expend to such an extent that the slide I28 will be brought into a position wherein it nearly or actually engages the shoulder I23 when the brake lining effectively engages the brake drum but in the event that the brake lining becomes worn, the slide I28 will engage the shoulder I23 before the brake lining ef- -fectively engages the interior surface of the drum. Then, when thebrake band continues to expand to bring its brake lining into effective engagement with the interior surface of the brake drum, the spring H4 continues to displace the slide H to the left (Figs. 4 and 7) and if the brake lining is sufiiciently worn, the teeth H1 will advance the distance of one tooth upon the teeth I I8. Then, when the brake band contracts, the slide I20 will engage the shoulder I22 before the slide I ID has returned to its original position within the block I08 and the brake band will be held in a slightly expanded condition. Obviously, the outer surface of the brake lining will then lie in relatively close proximity to the interior surface of the brake drum and it will not be necessary during the succeeding operation to expand the brake band the relatively large amount it was expanded during the preceding operation. Then. when the brake drum tends to angularly displace the brake band around the axis of rotation, the brake band is displaced a relatively small amount as displacement of its ends is limited by the block I08 and the slide I ID. This prevents undesirable noises in that the ends of the brake band will not slap against the blocks I08 and' the slides H0. The arcuate surfaces I06 and I0! provided upon the slides H0 and the blocks I08, respectively, prevent the ends of the brake bands from riding toward the opposed surfaces on the drums and thus causing undue wear of the brake linings at these points.

It will be noted that when the brake operating means is actuated to apply the brakes, the segment 86, by reason of its connection with the operating cable 88, will be angularly displaced in a counter clockwise direction (Fig. 4) and the shaft sections 82 and 13 together with the pinion 12 will be angularly displaced in a like direction in a manner to produce a relative longitudinal movement of the plunger 63 and cylinder 61 for expanding the brake band 42 and lining 4d into engagement with the brake drum 35.

Having thus described the invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned. I

What I claim; as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A brake comprising a brake drum, a brake band operatively positioned with respect to said drum, and means engageable by the ends of the brake band forpreventing said brake drum from angularly displacing said brake band, said means comprising a relatively fixed member engageable with one end of said band, a relatively movable member slidably mounted in said fixed member and engageable with the opposite end of said band, and means slidably movable with respect to both said members and engageable therewith for positioning the ends of said band in a plurality of adjusted positions with respect to each other.

2. A brake comprising a brake drum, a brake band operatively positioned with respect to said drum, and means engageable by the ends of the brake band for preventing said brake drum from angularly displacing said brake band, said means comprising a relatively fixed member engageable with one end of said band, a relatively movable respect thereto, said last mentioned means being adjustably related to said movable member for positioning the ends of said band in a plurality of adjusted positions with respect to each other.

3. A brake comprising a brake drum, a brake band operatively positioned with respect to said drum, and means engageable by the ends of the brake band for preventing said brake drum from angularly displacing said brake band, said means comprising a. member having a recess formed therein and engageable with one end of said band, a second member engageable with the opposite end of said band and relatively movable with respect to said recessed member, and means mounted in said recess and adjustably related to said second member for positioning the ends of said band in a plurality of adjusted positions with respect to each other.

4. A brake comprising a brake drum, a brake band operatively positioned with respect to said drum, and means engageable by the ends of the brake band for preventing said brake drum from angularly displacing said brake band, said means comprising a member having a recess formed therein and engageable with one end of said band, a second member engageable with the oppcsite end of said band and relatively movable with respect to said recessed member, a plurality of teeth formed on said second member, and a toothed detent movably mounted in said recess and engageable with the teeth formed on said second member for positioning the ends of said band in a plurality of adjusted positions with respect to each other.

5. A brake comprising a brake drum, a brake band, and automatically adjustable means engageable with the ends of said brake band for preventing said drum from angularly displacing said band, said means comprising a member having a plurality of shoulders formed thereon and engageable with one end of said band, a second member engageable with the opposite end of said band and relatively moveable with respect to said shouldered member, and means movably mounted between said shoulders and adjustably related to said second member, said last mentioned means being engageable with one of said shoulders for changing the relative position of said last means with respect to said second member when the brake band ends are moved relatively in one direction, and engageable with the other of said shoulders when the brake band ends are moved relatively in the opposite direction for spacing the brake band in relation to said drum.

6. A brake comprising a brake drum, a brake band, and automatically adjustable means engageable with the ends of said brake band for preventing said drum from angularly displacing said band, said means comprising a relatively fixed member having a plurality of shoulders formed thereon and engageable with one end of said band, a toothed member engageable with the opposite end of said band and relatively movable with respect to said fixed member, and a slide having a limited movement between said shoulders and having teeth engageable with the teeth of said toothed member, said slide being engageable with one of said shoulders for changing the relative position of the slide with respect to said toothed member when the brake band ends are moved relatively in one direction or toward said drum, and engageable with the other of sa'd shoulders when the brake band ends are moved relatively in the opposite direction for spacing the brake bandrin relation to said drum.

7. A brake comprising a brake drum, a brake band operatively positioned with respect to said drum, and means engageable by the ends of the brake band for preventing said brake drum irom angularly displacing said brake band, said means comprising a member having a recess formed therein and engageable with one end of said band, a second member engageable with the opposite end of said band and slidably movable with respect to said recessed member, a plurality of teeth formed on said second member, and a toothed member movably mounted in said recess and engageable with the teeth formed on said second member for positioning sai'd band,

with respect to said drum.

8. A brake comprising a brake drum, a brake shoe formed'with a rim section anda section extending perpendicular to said rim section and substantially parallel to the supporting plate, a lining supported by said'rim section, an anchor on which said rim section anchors, and an applying means having elements contacting with said perpendicular section for applying the friction means to the drum.

9. A brake comprising a brake drum, a supporting plate, a brake shoe formed with a rim sectionand a section extending perpendicular to said rim section and substantially parallel to the l supporting plate, a lining supported by said rim section, an anchor secured directly to said 'supporting plate having portions on which said rim.

tion for applying the friction means to the drum.

JOHN W. TATTER. 

